Velo News Serotta at NAHBS

NAHBS 2009: The Serotta Meivici AE is an aero road bike, this one with a one-off historical paint scheme.Photo: Zack Vestal

Serotta took an ultra-modern approach to the Handbuilt Show, bringing the most cutting-edge product the company has to offer. Carbon fiber was included in the construction of every bike on display, including a new aero road bike and a prototype ti-carbon cyclocross bike.

The Meivici AE road bike evolved from the Meivici AE time trial frameset. “We wanted to gain traction in the triathlon market, and also offer something in the emerging aero road category,” explained production manager Jared Porter. Using modular composite fabrication, Serotta is able to offer custom geometry in both of these carbon frames. Bladder-molded carbon “lugs” or frame modules compose large sections of the frame, including the top/head/downtube combination.

“Everyone on our staff does 10-20 jobs,” said Porter. “We keep our manufacturing really flexible, so we’re able to respond to market changes.”

The Meivici AE road bike is priced at $8500 for a frame, fork, and seat cap, and already 25 have been sold. “Our customers are very loyal, and always have faith in our products,” Porter said. “They know that if we offer something, it’s legitimate.”

Both the road and TT bikes feature modern design elements, including an extended aero seat cap on a short integrated seatmast, offering 4cm of height adjustment. A tapered 1 1/8-inch to 1.5-inch integrated headset merges with huge fork blades designed around the maximum 3-1 aspect ratio permitted by the UCI.

The bike on display was dressed in a paint scheme (no decals, all paint!) commemorating the Battle of Saratoga, a pivotal Revolutionary War victory for American forces that took place near the Serotta headquarters.

The prototype cyclocross bike combines elements from the all-carbon Meivici and the ti-carbon Ottrot. A Meivici carbon lug to tube front triangle is bonded with an Ottrot carbon to ti bottom bracket and stays. The one-off titanium monostay had to be created in order to mate with a Meivici carbon seat tube lug, but the new piece adds a super-stiff cable stop and brings added resistance to rear cantilever brake flex. Porter said that even he was surprised when the built weight (minus pedals) came to 15.2 lbs.